Rhodes

I am well and truly home! Within an hour of getting back, I had swapped my tshirt and shorts for fleece pj's and even went as far today as to buy a new fluffy dressing gown to keep me warm. I have a feeling this winter I will be doing a lot of snuggling up in its warmth.

In contrast to while I was away, I didnt see a single drop of rain the whole time I was away. It was a wonderful holiday, even if it was a little aggravating.

The night before we left, I started with a migraine, that developed into the worst migraine I have ever experinced. I was dosed as high as i could on a variety of meds, but up until 30 mins before the taxis to the airport was due, I still had my head down the loo and could not open my eyes fully. I got some odd looks going through security wearing sunglasses and although I wasnt sure if I would be allowed to fly, I had managed to get most of the symptoms under control by the time I got to the airport.

The migrain continued off and on for the next 4 days unfortnley, but I still managed to get out do things, if a little slower than I would have liked. It was after all a relax type holiday rather than an active type holiday, which helped.

There were so many memories I wish I could bottle up and keep, to pause a moment in time and recall every detail of it for many years to come. Simple things, like lying on the beach, a slight breeze keeping the air comfortable and the sound of children playing. A dad wrapping his daughter in a warm towel, a mum moving a sleeping child to the shade, the sea reflecting the sky. Every part evoking its own memory deep within me and still keeping hold of the current memory.

It was such a pretty place. You could barley tell where the sea ended and the sky begun. We were lucky, the place we were staying was way out of the commercial area, it was quiet and most touristy type places had already shut. The beauty of the place was stunning.

 It helped that we were high up so the view from the balcony was breath taking. I sat out there at least twice a day, running my treatments, I was very proud, I didnt miss a single one. Of course, the downside to being so high up, was that the lift only went half way and as the week progressed and my air way detoriated, the remaining stairs took longer and longer each time I had to climb them. But on holiday, there is no shortage of time and so I was able to make my way at my own pace and collapse on to the bed as soon as I got into the room.

We had a wonderful meal, in a restaurant on top of a building. It seems the way there, to lead you up a narrow entry and you seem to go up and up and up, until eventually reaching a restaurant on the roof, with views across the whole city.

You can see from the doorway, all the way up to the roof.

And once seated, you get a great view on all the layers back down.

Not to mention across the entire city. We also managed to time it right to have greek musicians playing the whole time we were eating.

Even on the days were I was unable to leave the room, I felt a peace. I could lie on the bed and gaze out across the balacony. My parents seemed a little annoyed that I was unable to keep up with them, after all they are both in their 60's, but they under stood how much the heat wiped me out. They bought food and drinks to tempt me and did there best to keep me cool, even when I was so far asleep I could sleep through them talking to me.

 On the good days we made the most of the time and ventured into the towns. Everything was so colourful and bright. There were so many things to see and do and smell and just take in.

And, even after all these years (44 to be exact) it is nice to see them still so in love. I have to recall these moments sometimes, the laugh and smile of my parents when they seem care free. Some days, it is easy to lose sight of their comittment. Admit the stress of everyday life as well as medication side effects, they have a tendency to snap at each other, to shout or complain for no real reason. But I think I see them being the old couple in the nursing home that the staff still have to shout at for rowing over simple things like where to sit. Hopefully they have a very long while before they hit that point though.

And now I home, I feel rested, though not yet strong enough to make any plans. But that shall follow another day. For now, I am holding on to these memories tight, for they are strong and warm.